Sri Lanka MPs Boycott Parliament As Crisis Continues

Members of Sri Lankas sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghes party (L) sit in the parliament chamber as President Maithripala Sirisenas party boycotts the session in the Sri Lankan parliament in Colombo on November 27, 2018. - Allies of Sri Lanka's embattled president Maithripala Sirisena boycotted parliament November 27 as the country drifted into a second month of political turmoil. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFP) (Photo credit should read ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images)

Allies of Sri Lanka’s embattled president Maithripala Sirisena boycotted parliament on Tuesday (27) as the country drifted into the second month of political turmoil.

Sirisena loyalists refused to show up at parliament in Colombo, where last week opposing MPs scuffled and threw objects across the chamber, forcing the legislature to adjourn.

The island has been politically paralysed since October 26 when Sirisena sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Mahinda Rajapakse.

Parliament has twice voted against the former strongman president but he has refused to back down. Wickremesinghe, who holds a majority on the floor, has also not stepped aside.

The speaker of parliament has not recognised either man leaving the country adrift with rival factions claiming to command a government.

Sirisena allies have accused the speaker of bias.

“We will not attend parliament until the speaker agrees to act impartially,” said Nimal de Silva, an MP from Sirisena’s United People’s Freedom Alliance.

Their opponents taunted the president, who has ruled out reimposing Wickremesinghe even as Sri Lanka remains locked in a power vacuum.

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